Package vending machine with dual conveyers arranged for alternate delivery



July 7, 1953 F. N. JAMES 2,644,735

memes VENDING MACHINE mm mm. CONVEYERS ARRANGED FOR ALTERNATE DELIVERY Filed April 4, 1951 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I uw wmw FRA Z/ER /V. JAMfS INVENTOR.

AT TORNE Y July 7, 1953 N JAMES 2,644,735

. F. PACKAGE VENDING MACHINE WITH DUAL CONVEYERS ARRANGED FOR ALTERNATE DELIVERY ATTORNEI.

Patented July 7, 1953 DELIVERY Frazier N. James, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Lone Star Vender Corp., Dallas, Tex.

Application April 4, 1951; Serial No. 219,251

'Thisinvention relates to vending machines and more particularly to such machines for vending bulky objects.

A machinefor vending bulky objects, such as cartons of bottles or cans, must be capable of holding and dispensing a large number of the bulky objects in order to reduce to a minimum thenumber of times the machine must be reloadedduring a given period of time of average use, it must be compact to occupy a minimum amount of floor space, it must be simple in construction to minimize maintenance servicing, and it must operate automatically with 'no other act being required of the customer than the insertion of a coin in an appropriate coin receiving aperture.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved device for vending,

bulky objects. y

It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved vending machine capable of holding and vending a large number of bulky objects.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improved machine for vending bulky objects which is simple in construction and operation. 1 I

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a new and improved vending machine having two-sets of carriers for carrying bulky objects in which the bulky objects are dispensed alternately from the two sets of carriers. I

Briefly stated, the new and improved machine for vending bulky objects, such as cartons of cans or bottles, comprises, two sets of chains which are driven by two sets of spaced sprockets 5 Claims. (Cl. 31297) mounted on a single motor driven shaft, and I which are engaged by two sets of direction changing sprockets which are mounted. on a single rotatable shaft. Each set of chains pivotally supports a plurality or set of carton carriers, the carriers of one set being staggered, or out of alignment, with respect to the carriers of the other set. The carriers'of each set have open slots'through which is adapted to pass a carton engaging tongue which lifts the cartons from the carriers as the carriers move past the tongue and allow the disengaged cartons to slide to a delivery opening in the vending machine. The staggered alignment of the carriers allows the tongues associated with each set of carriers to dispense cartons alternately from the two sets of carriers.

A'coin operated mechanism is employed to start the motor'while a, pair of 'swit'chesdisposed in the path of travel of dispensedcartons are em.

ployed to stop the motoreach time a' cartonghas' been dispensed from a carrier.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had'to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will b pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure l is a front plan view of the vending machine with the door open and with one element of the machine removed; I

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on lin 22 of Figure 3;

Figure'3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the electric control circuit;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of oneof the carton carriers;

Figure 5. is a fragmentary top plan view.

showing the relationship of two elements of the machine; and,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a carton of cans of the type which are vended by the machine.

Referring now to the drawing, the vending machine comprises a cabinet I0 having a pair ofvertical parallel side walls I I and I2, rear wall I3 and a top wall I 4. The front open side of the' cabinet is adapted to be closed by a front door I5 which is swingably mounted on the side wall I2 by a hinge I6. The door I5 has a pair of ,dis-,

charge openings IIand I8through Whichbulky objects, such as cartons I9 of cans 20, are delivered when coins are deposited in a conventional coin operated mechanism 2 I.

Two. pairszof vertical angle members 22 and 23 disposed adjacent walls I2 and I3, respectively,

extend'from top to bottom of the cabinet. Theangle member 35 are vertically disposed between the front members 23 and 22 and the rearmem bers 22 and 23, respectively, and areconnected together by horizontalangle members 35, 31, 38 and 39 which may be rigidly secured to one another by bolts 40. The rear vertical members 22 and 23 and members 35 maybe rigidly connected at their uppermost ends by a horizontal channel member II and at their lowermost ends by a horizontal channel member 42. The horizontal channel members 4| and 42 may be se- A driving shaft 44a is supported on thehorizontal angle members 24, 23 and 36 by means of pillow blocks 45, 46 and 41, respectively, which are secured to the horizontal angle members by bolts 48. Two pairs of spaced sprockets 43 and 50 are rigidly secured to the driving shaft 44a.

in any conventional manner, The pair of sprockets 49 engage and support a pair of endless chains and the pair of sprockets 50 engage and support a similar pair of endless chains 52. The two pairs of chains 5! and 52 are also engaged by the pairs of sprockets 53 and 54, respectively.

which are mounted on the horizontal angle members 33, 39 and a third angle member (not shown) which connects the pair of vertical angle members 22 by means of the rotatable shaft 56 journaled in pillow blocks 58, 59 and a third pillow block (not shown) on the third angle iron member (not shown). 7

The driving shaft 441:. is driven by an electric power unit 60 which includes an electric motor and a speed reducing gear train which are not shown in detail because they are of conventional form. The power unit 60 is connected to the driving shaft 4411 by a chain-and sprocket drive 6| so that the driving shaft 44a, will be rotated each time the power unit is energized.

Each pair of chains 51 and 52 pivotally supports a plurality of carriers'62 by means of elongated pins 63 which extend through the links of the chains. The carriers 62 are free to pivot about the pins 63. Each carrier has parallel sides 64 and 65 provided with apertures 66 and 61, respectively, which receive the pins 63. The sides 64 and 65 are connected by rear strips 68 and 69 and have inwardly extending flanges and I I, respectively on which a carton I9 may be placed. The carriers 62 are preferably made of,

cast metal with all parts integral with one another. The purpose or function of the slot or opening 12 between the flanges l0 and 1] will bedescribed below. V

A plate 73 is removably mounted on the front vertical members 22'and 23 and the channel member 34 by means of'the projecting screws 14 which extend through the keyhole slots 75 pro vided in the plate 13. The screws 14 are received in suitable threaded apertures in the vertical members-22 and 23 and the channel member 34.

The plate 13 has two substantially rectangular apertures 16 and 11. Upwardly and inwardly inclined plates I8 and I9. are rigidly secured to the plate 13 by welding or other conventional means and are disposed in the apertures 16 and H, respectively, to pass through the slots 12 in the carriers 62 as they move downwardly past. the plate .73. It will be seen now that the inclined so that the cartons will slide alternately through the apertures 76 and 11. The inclined plates 18 and 19 have upturned tongues 80 and 8|, respectively. The tongues 80 and 8| are adapted to extend between the bosses 82a on the rear strips 68 and 69 which prevent the cartons l9 from contacting "the rear strips andthus insure that the tongues 30 and 8! will contact the rear side of the cartons without contacting the rear strips of the carriers.

Positioning plates 82and 83, one plate 83 being shown'in phantom: in order that other details of the machine might be easily seen, are secured to the channel member 34 and to the front verthe carriers 62, as they move toward the front 'doorof the machine and cause them to assume a vertical position to insure that the tongues 80 k and BI will contact the cartons l9 properly. The

lower portions 84 and 85 of the positioning plates 82 and 83, respectively, are bent outwardly to extend over and substantially parallel to the inclined plates 18 and 19, respectively. The lower portions 84 and 85' prevent the cartons fromrolling over as they are contacted by the tongues 80 and 8|. The vertical plates'86 and 8'! secured downwardly a sufiicie'nt distance to insure that the tonguesBG- will not-contact the rear strips 68 and 69 of the carriers' The vertical plates 88 and 89 secured to the front vertical member-23 and channel member 34 serve the same purpose with respect to the carriers of the chains 52.

The vertical plates may be secured to the channel member, the vertical members and the lower portions in any conventional manner, as by rivets or screws.

The lower widened portions 90 and 9| of the inclined plates 18 and ('9 extend into the aper-.

tures I! and I8, respectively, in the front door 15 so that the cartons l 9"will slide out of the machine through these apertures. closed switch fl lextends intothe aperture I1 while a-normally closed-"switch extends into the aperture l8. The switches Myand 95 are connected in series with the'motorof the power 1 unit 60 in order that the motor be stopped each time either switch 94 or 95 is actuated by a carton as it slides out of them'achine. The motor is started each time a coin is deposited in the coin operated mechanism 2 l momentarily to close 'a switch 96. When the switch 96 is closed, both the motor and relay coil 9! are energized. The coil ill-closes a contact '98 to keep the motor of the 'power unit 60 connected across the supply circuit. The motor will continue to operate until a carton I9 is dispensed and opens one of the switches 94.0r 95. TIhec'oil vSlis then de-energized and contact 938 returns to open position.

The motor can then be started again only by the deposit of another coin in the mechanism 2|.

In use, the plate 13 is removed when cartons [9 are to be loaded-into the carriers 62. This is especially necessary 'when the machine is not completely empty for'then the inclined plates 18 and 79 would unload each loaded carrier 62 as vit moved past theplate l3. When the front door 15 is open,- the,motor driving the chains 1 may, be energizedby the actuation of the switch A normally 91a. The carriers can thus be caused to move downwardly. The operator can stop the motor by actuating .one of the switches 94 or 95. The gear train in the power unit 60 prevents easy rotation of the shaft 44a. The weight of the cartons I9, regardless of unbalance caused by the presence of the cartons I9 in only some of the carriers 62, will not cause theshaft 44a, to be rotated. It will be noted that suchunbalan'ce will be normally present since the weight on opposite sides of thechains 5 I and 52 will be balanced only when a carton I9 is in each carrier 62, a condition existing only immediately after the machine is loaded.

After each carrier 62 is 1oaded,'the plate I3 is replaced and the front door I5 is closed. If a coin is now deposited in the mechanism 2|, the motor of the power unit and the coil 9! are energized by the momentary, closing of. the switch 96. The coil 91 will nowactuate the contact 98 to close position and the motor will continue to run. The driving shaft 440 will be rotated by the chain and. sprocket drive 6|. and the chains 5! and 52, and therefore their carriers 62, will be moved downwardly past plate I3. One of the inclined plates, say plate I8, will now contact a carton I9 carried by a carrier 62 and, as the motor continues to run and the carrier continues to descend, the carton I9 will slide down the plate I8 and through the aperture I1 in the door I5 actuating the. switch 94 vending operation can take place unless another 1.

coin is deposited in the coin mechanism 2I.

When another coin is deposited, a carton [9 will be contacted bythe inclined plate I9'since the carriers 62 are staggered with respect to each other on the pairs of chains 5I and52. A carton I9 will therefore be dispensed through the aperture I8 in the front door I5. This alternate dispensing of the cartons from the carriers 62 hung on the chains 5I and 52 will continue as coins are deposited until all the cartons are dispensed. A pair of shut-off switches I90 and I 0| normally maintained in actuated positions by the cartons in the carriers 62 are provided to prevent operation of the motor, and to cause rejection of coins deposited in the mechanism 2|, when the carriers adjacent plate I3 are empty. The control circuit employing the cut-' off switches I99 and IOI is such that both switches must be in non-actuated position to prevent operation of the motor. This will insure operation of the machine even though only the carriers 62 hung on one or the other of the door I94 provided in the side I2 of the cabinet.

It will now be evident that a vending machine of simple and economical construction has been illustrated and described which has two sets of carriers for carrying bulky objects, hung ontwo pairs of endless chains which are moved by a single motor to discharge or dispense the bulky articles alternately from the'two sets of carriers when coins are deposited in a coin operated mechanism to start a motor which moves the chains past a plate provided with a pair of inclined plates, the inclined plates contacting the articles held by the carriers.

The carriers on the two pairs of chains are in staggered vertical relationship to each other in order that the inclined plates 18 and I9 might be on'the samehorizontal level in order that, apertures- I I and I9 may also be on the same horizontal level for esthetic reasons. If desired, the carriers on the two pairs of chains may be aligned vertically. The inclined plates 18 and I9 must then be positioned in vertically spaced or misaligned relationship in order that the cartons be dispensed alternately from. thecarriers of the two sets of chains.

' It will be apparent that various changes and" modifications can be made in the illustrated and described embodiment without departing from .the invention and it is intended, therefore, in

1. In a vending machine, the combination comprising a supporting structure; a pair of vertically spaced rotatable shafts mounted on said supporting structure; two pairs of sprockets mounted on each shaft; two pairs of endless chains, each chain extending about an aligned pair of sprockets on the two shafts; a set of carriers pivotally hung on and between each pair of chains, each of said carriers being adapted to hold a bulky object; each of said carriershaving open backs, sides and top and a bottom formed'of confronting flanges defining an open slot; spaced apart bosses on the backs of eachgo-f said carriers, a pair of inclined and stationary sliding plates, each slide plate being disposed in' the path of travel of one set of carriers andv passing through theslots between the flanges forming the bottoms of the carriers as the carriers are moved downwardly past each sliding plate, the'object held by each carrier being held by said bosses in spaced relation to the back of said carrier for engagement by said sliding plate to effect discharge of said object from its carrier and onto a sliding plateas itscarrier is moved down past the sliding plate, a positioning plate above each sliding plate againstwhich objects on said carriers engage to predispose the same for discharge, the lower portions of said positioning plates being arranged in spaced parallelism to said sliding plates to preclude overtion to cause objects to be dispensed alternately from each set of carriers as said one of said shafts is rotated;' a coin operated switch for starting the motor; and a pair of switches for stopping the motor, each switch being disposed in the path of travel of objects dispensed from* one set of carriers whereby the motor is stopped each time an article is dispensed.

2. In a vending machine, the combination comprising a supporting structure; a pair of verti- "cally spaced rotatable shafts mounted on said mounted on each shaft; two pairs of endless chains, each chain extending about an aligned pair of sprockets on the two shafts; a set of car riers pivotally hun on and between each pair of chains, each of said carriers being adapted to hold a bulky object; each of said carriers having an open side, back and top and a bottom provided with a slot; a pair of horizontally spaced bosses on the back of each'carrier to hold the object therein in a forward position, a pair of inclin'ed and stationary sliding plates, each sliding plate being disposed in the path of travel of one set of carriers and passing through the slots in the bottoms of the carriers as the carriers are moved downwardly past each sliding plate; a pair of tongues on the inner end of each sliding plate adapted to engage the object on a carrier between said bosses to efiect its discharge from said carrier; a pair of vertical positioning plates, each positioning plate being disposed above one of said sliding plates to abut the carriers of one set of carriers for causing said carriers to be maintained in vertical positions as they approach'and pass the sliding plates, the lower portion of each of said positioning plates being in relatively spaced parallelism with said sliding plates to prevent overturning of said objects during discharge thereof, the object held by each carrier sliding out of its carrier and on a sliding plate as its carrier is moved down past the slide plate, and a motor connected to one of said shafts for rotating the shaft and moving each set of carriers past its associated sliding plate.

3. In a vending machine, the combination comprising a supporting structure; a pair of vertically spaced rotatable shafts mounted on said supporting structure; two pairs of sprockets mounted on each-shaft; two pairs of endless chains, each chain extending about an aligned pair of sprockets on the two shafts; a set of car riers pivotally hung on and between each pair of chains, each of said carriers being adapted to hold a bulky object; each of said carriers having an open side, back and top and a bottom provided with a slot; bosses formed on and extending inwardly from the back of each carrier to hold the. object therein in a forward position, a pair of in-' ing disposed above one of said sliding plates .to

abut the carriers of one set of carriers for causing said carriers to be maintained in vertical positions as they approach and pass the sliding plates, each of said vertical positioning plates having a lower extension extending outwardly substantially parallel to and above its associated sliding plate, the objects held by each carrier sliding out of its carrier and on a sliding plate as its carrier is moved down past the slide plate and held against overturning during discharge by the lower extensions of said positioning plates, and a motor connected to one of said shafts for rotating the shaft and moving each set of carriers past its associated sliding plate. 1

4 In a vending machine, the combination c mprising a supporting structure; a pair of vertically spaced rotatable shafts mounted on said supporting structure; two pairs of sprockets mounted on each shaft; two pairs of endless chains, each chain extending about an aligned pair of sprockets on the two shafts; a set of carrierspivotally hung on and between'each pair of chains, each of said carriers being adapted to hold a bulkyobjectj each of said' carriers having an open side back and top and a bottom provided with a slot; spaced apart projections formed on and extendinginwardly-from the backs of each carrier to position an object therein in spaced relation to said back, a pair of inclined sliding plates, each sliding plate having an extended portion disposed in the path'of travel of one set of carriers and passing through the slots in the bottoms of the carriers as the carriers are moved downwardly past each sliding plate; a pair of tongues on the extended portion of each sliding plate adapted to engage an object between said projections and 'move the same from said carrier,

a pair of vertical positioning plates, each posirier and onto a sliding plate as its carrier is moved down past the sliding plate ,a motor connected to one of said shafts for rotating the shaft and moving each set of carriers past its associated sliding;

plate; a coin operated switch for starting the motor; and a pair of switches for stopping the motor, each switch being disposed in the path of travel of objects dispensed from one set of'carriers whereby the motor is stopped each timean article is dispensed. i

5. In a vending machine, the combination comprising a supporting structure, a pair of vertically spaced rotatable shafts mounted on said supporting structure; two pairs of sprockets mounted on each shaft; two pairs of endless chains, each chain extending about an aligned pair of sprockets on the two shafts; a set of carriers pivotally hung on and between each pair of chains, each of said carriers being adapted tohold a bulky object; each of said carriers having an open side, back and top and a bottom provided with a slot; means formed on the back of each carrier for holding the object therein in spaced relation to the back of said carrier, a pair of inclined sliding plates, each sliding plate having a portion extending into the path of travel of one set of carriers and passing through the' slots in the bottoms of the carriers as the carriers are moved downwardly past each sliding plate; upwardly curved means on the extending portion of each sliding plate adapted to ening outwardly substantially parallel to and above its associated sliding plate, the objects held by each carrier being moved out of its carrier by said upwardly curved means and onto a sliding plate .as its carrier is moved down past theslide 9 plate, a motor connected to one of said shafts for References Cited in the file of this patent rPtating h Shaft. and iq each UNITED STATES PATENTS rlers past 1ts assoclated shdmg plate; a com operated switch for starting the motor; and a pair Number Name Date of switches for stopping the motor, each switch 5 345,984 Thompson Mali 5, 1907 being disposed in the path of t a e1 of obje t-,5 1,074,387 qhwab Sept. 30, 1913 dispensed from one set of carriers whereby the 2,272,750 M1131 Feb. 10, 1942 motor is stopped each time an a tic i dispensed 2,493,956 Ewertz Jan. 10, 1950 FRAZIER N. JAMES. 10 

